History of Port Sheldon Township

In 1835, a group of Eastern leaders formed the Port Sheldon Land Company. This company bought six hundred acres of land for $900 to build a city. They spent a fortune laying out and building a boom city near Pigeon Creek. The first post office opened in 1838, as did the Ottawa House, an elaborate hotel. This settlement, however, eventually failed and collapsed.

By the 1930s, strawberry, raspberry and blueberry growers moved into the township. They found the land suitable for these crops, and today much of the Township remains in agricultural use for these fruits, along with other crops. Most of the social life in the centered around the depot, post office, and general stores. Coal and gasoline were shipped in. Grain, pickles, bark and logs were shipped out. Two trains a day carried passengers and mail.

Port Sheldon Township was officially organized April 7, 1924, breaking away from Olive Township. The majority of residents felt they were not being properly represented, since Township officials were from the more heavily populated eastern farm area.

The Fire Department plans were started in the fall of 1964 and the Township Board gave official approval the following years. A used John Bean pumper was purchased as the first fire truck. The department took over complete protection of the Township until 1966, and continues to serve the Township residents today.

Some of the above information was supplied from the US GenWeb project. Click here for the Ottawa County page, and here for the Port Sheldon Township page.

More information is also available from the Whispering Sands book, available at the Township Hall for $5.00.